


barisi ficlets!

by sonnycreasy



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Cat Dads, Domestic Fluff, Ficlet Collection, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Secret Relationships, single dads
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-09
Updated: 2019-04-08
Packaged: 2019-10-25 00:46:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 3,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17714861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sonnycreasy/pseuds/sonnycreasy
Summary: drabbles and ficlets i’ve written to fill the barisi sized gap in my chest since the undiscovered country





	1. if you love case law so much...

**Author's Note:**

> I write these little things to practice my writing so I like to think they get progressively better throughout! I really just love one (1) SVU ship that should have been canon.
> 
> Dick Wolf if you read this.. I just wanna talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i wrote this at like 2am in about 30 mins and it has not been proofread but... meh they cute
> 
> victor if you're reading this this is your fault and you should take full responsibility

Rafael doesn’t really remember how the argument starts exactly, probably in the same way most of them do, with Sonny making valid yet naïve points and Rafael being too proud and exasperated to even entertain the notion that the detective could be right.

It doesn’t really excuse the petulancy he is displaying but in his defence, Sonny is like an over-excited child when it comes to the law at the best of times; so it’s unsurprising that their arguments sound like infants fighting over a toy instead of two men with law degrees arguing semantics.

It _certainly_ doesn’t excuse the words that come out of his mouth next.

“If you love case law so much, _Dominick_ , why don’t you marry it?”

He winces internally as soon as the words come out, no amount of snark can make that sound any less childish. He knows the argument is over now, there is no way Sonny is going to let that go by unmentioned. 

To his surprise, Sonny just leaves the room, muttering under his breath words that sound like “ _had a whole thing planned out_ ,” and “ _jackass_ ”. Huh. He’d expected dimples and laughter but the detective always seems to surprise him. Knowing Rafael’s luck, he’s off to text the Carisi whatsapp group and Rafael will _never hear the end of it_.

He’s about to sit down and start planning how he’s going to exit the country and never return, since that’s what his dignity seems to have already done, when Sonny bounds back in to the living room hands behind his back and eyes glinting excitedly.

Rafael opens his mouth to speak, but his boyfriend cuts him off with a rush of words. 

“ButIdon’twannamarrycaselawIwannamarryyou” 

Rafael blinks.

“I’m sorry?” 

Sonny smiles and – _wait what? –_ gets down on one knee. Rafael’s heart starts racing. Sonny clears his throat and pulls out a ring and okay, _this is happening_.  

“I said, I don’t wanna marry case law, I want to marry you. If you’ll, uh, have me?” 

He can’t help it, he snorts. “If I’ll, uh, have you? Eloquent.” But he’s practically beaming and his heart still hasn’t stopped fluttering and of _course_ he’s going to say,  

“I suppose I will. Have you, that is.” 

Sonny smiles brighter than Rafael has ever seen and practically leaps up, pulling him in for a kiss.

When they break apart, Sonny’s elated smile has turned mischievous and, as he slides the ring onto Rafael’s finger he snorts, ruining their contented silence.

“I can’t _wait_ to tell the squad this story.”


	2. the oscars, baby!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which sonny loves award season and rafael is less than enamoured with it, but decides to be a sweet boyfriend

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is unfinished because it became entirely dialogue and i couldn't salvage it bc i'm lazy but i'm still dumping it here anyway in the hopes that someone enjoys it sdfgjkdhg jsuis désolée

Award season, in Rafael Barba’s mind, exists solely to monopolise his partner’s time and energy. 

It hadn’t always been like this; the first few years of cohabitation with Sonny saw January through February as peaceful months, them adjusting to the new year in quiet harmony. 

Until last year. 

Last year, when Bella had decided to gift him a film studies book for Christmas, with an offhanded joke about how she expects him to be producing top quality videos of her daughter from now on. God, Rafael could have strangled Bella right about then because Sonny, always eager to pick up new hobbies and learn things,  **loved** it. 

Rafael remembers the day the nominations for the Oscars came out all too well - they had been making out on the couch and his hand had just been snaking down under Sonny’s waistband when the other man’s phone had chimed and he’d practically leapt off the couch in his haste to get it, without so much as an apology. 

He had leaned his head back and groaned when Sonny brought up that it was the Academy nominations announcement. “I can’t believe I’ve been cockblocked by the _A_ _cademy_.” Sonny at least had the decency to look slightly guilty. 

“Look, I just need to know that Amy Adams won’t get snubbed this year.” 

Barba had rolled his eyes. “Sonny, I don’t think she was _in_ anything this year.” 

“It’s the principle of it, Rafael!” 

But this year, _this year_ , he’s ready when the date of the Oscars comes around. He decides to be the sweet boyfriend – for once alleviating Sonny from the role – and prints off prediction sheets for them both, alongside buying some champagne and popcorn. For his part, he’s seen most of the films, what with them having monopolised his date nights for the last few months. He’s not _that_ upset though. Any chance to see Carisi in his element, blue eyes brimming with excitement, he takes. And he’d grudgingly enjoyed a vast selection of the films in question. 

When Sonny returns home from his family dinner (Rafael had been invited, of course, but had gracefully rejected in favour of finishing his closing statement for court tomorrow) to Rafael’s little set up, he smiles and kisses his partner softly. 

“You did this for me?” 

“No, I did it for the _other_ film-loving idiot that lives in our apartment.” He rolls his eyes. “But i’m telling you, if Roma doesn’t take any awards away, this is looking to be a one-off event.” 

Sonny gasps in an entirely over-exaggerated manner. “There’s no way it _won’t_ Rafi, don’t you worry.” To emphasise his point, he waves the printed prediction sheet and ticks Roma for best picture. 

“Now, let’s compare who we think will win, huh?”  

They get comfortable on the couch, limbs tangled as they rest at opposite ends ticking off boxes and engaging in film discussion with plenty of enthusiasm from Sonny’s side and a lot of grumbling from Rafael. 

“I don’t think it’s realistic that Amy will win over Emma Stone or Regina King, Sonny - you’re letting bias cloud your judgement.” 

“Maybe so but I’m still holding onto hope, don’t take this from me.” 

“Oh, never. I’m just thinking of how great it will feel to be proven right.” 

“But at what cost?” 

“Clearly Amy Adams not getting an Academy Award.” 

Sonny raises his hand to his chest. “Blasphemy!” 

"You're an idiot," Rafael laughs.

Coincidentally, the first award to be presented is supporting actress and Sonny is practically on the edge of his seat as Maya Rudolph opens the envelope to announce Regina King’s win.

“Aww, Sonny, I’m sorry,” Rafael knows he sounds patronising but there is an amused sincerity to his words.

Sonny shakes his head. “It’s fine – she more than deserved it. And hey, maybe next year will be Amy’s year!”

Rafael looks up from where he’s settled himself on Sonny’s lap and pats his cheek. “Keep dreaming, sunshine.”

when Roma wins both best cinematography and best foreign language film, Sonny cheers.

Barba feels much the same, but still rolls his eyes and says, “You know they can’t hear you cheering, right?”

Sonny pokes his side. “That’s not the point. Besides I  _know_ you’re just as happy as me, so don’t bother denying it.”

Rafael hums. “You’re right, although I’m more happy that all of my predictions so far have been correct.”

Sonny scoffs. “You did _not_ correctly predict best sound editing, I’m calling bullshit.”

“I had a hunch Bohemian Rhapsody would win some unnecessary awards.”

“Bastard.”

“I thought this was, and I quote, ‘not a competition, Rafael, just some fun’.”

“Well, yeah, but that was before all your predictions were correct. If you get them all right I won’t hear the end of it for weeks.”

“Which would be nothing like the time you and Rollins won a pub quiz and brought it up at every opportunity.”

“…Right.” Sonny just grins at him and pops a bit of popcorn in Rafael's mouth. "Now shut up and let me watch."


	3. sonny is The most extra cat dad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> prompt #99 from [this](https://prompt-bank.tumblr.com/post/152084082678/drabble-challenge) post: "How could you forget your son's birthday?"

When Rafael enters their apartment, exhausted after a turbulent day at work, he doesn’t expect to be greeted with balloons and the unmistakeable sound of Jesse Rollins giggling.

He flicks through his mental calendar of important dates and comes up blank – it’s April and _no one they know has an April birthday._

“Sonny?” he calls out in lieu of a greeting.

Carisi appears from the kitchen, Rollins’ progeny resting on his hip. He smiles brightly and pecks Rafael on the cheek while Jesse tugs at his lapel and practically screams, “Hey Uncle Rafa!”

“ _Hola, princesa_ ,” he says sweetly as Sonny passes her off to him, but sends a glare over the toddler’s shoulder to his partner who’s currently feigning innocence, as if getting Rafael to deal with a child wasn’t his plan all along.

Jesse looks delighted and asks him to “talk more Spanish, please”, so he obliges, rattling off half-forgotten rhymes from his childhood while focusing mainly on Sonny. Sonny, who is chatting to Rollins, their harsh accents colliding as they exchange fond words, undoubtedly decided who is going to capture this moment because Rafael knows they must look, to the blondes’ eyes, extremely cute.

Rollins must win, since she pulls out her phone and mouths “Cheese!” with a grin on her face. Rafael rolls his eyes and hopes the look he sends her conveys that she owes him coffee next time he appears at the precinct. Somehow, he doubts she'll comply.

The infant in his arms starts to squirm, so he happily lets her down and wanders through to join Sonny in the kitchen, where he appears to be lighting candles on a cake.

“Go fetch Grubes, will ya?” Sonny asks while fighting to get a spark on his lighter.

Rafael just stares at him in confusion. “And I’ve to go manhandle our cat for what reason, exactly?”

Sonny sits the lighter down on the worktop, indicating that he’s about to need both hands to gesticulate, which is never a good sign for Rafael. “Rafi, it’s _April 23rd_ ,” he says, as if Rafael is supposed to know the significance of that. Sonny shakes his head, “Unbelievable.”

He looks up at Sonny expectantly, “Well go on – or am I supposed to be left in the dark for the entirety of this conversation?”

Sonny lets out a breath and exclaims, as if it’s the most normal thing in the world, “I can’t believe you’ve forgotten our son’s birthday!”

“Our son's bir––he's a  _cat_ , Sonny. In case you've forgotten, they don't tend to celebrate their days of birth.”

The taller man looks offended. “Rafael, it's his birthday and he deserves to celebrate it! Now please bring him to the living room so we can sing Happy Birthday.”

Rafael sighs but acquiesces. He finds the shorthair lying on his and Sonny's bed, a smug expression on its face. Someone (Sonny) has put a tiny party hat on his head and Rafael shakes his head and breathes a laugh. “The things we endure for Dominick Carisi, right Gruber?” The cat seems to purr in agreement as he bundles it into his arms and carries him into the living space.

As he enters the room, the mismatched collection of accents produce a comically painful rendition of Happy Birthday, and as they finish Sonny lets the youngest member of the group blow out the candle. “Remember to make a wish for Grubesy 'cause he can't do it himself.”

Jesse nods solemnly and squeezes her eyes shut for a second. “Done! Can I get cake now?” Her eyes dart between Sonny and her mother.

Rollins lifts the cake from Sonny's hands and says, “Sure, sweetie. Let's go through to the kitchen and get you a plate, alright?” 

Rafael's eyes follow them as they traipse into the kitchen before letting his gaze fall back on his partner, who is petting their cat fondly.

He bends over and plants a kiss on Sonny's forehead. “You're ridiculous, do you know that?”

Sonny smiles, flashing his dimples, “Maybe, but you love me anyway.”

“God help me, I do.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pronouns? idk her :/
> 
> grubes = short for gruber = a die hard character bc guess what jake peralta and sonny carisi are best bros that is all. yes, gruber is a terrorist but lets like , ignore that bc i didnt know until after i wrote this ive never seen die hard okcoolmerci
> 
>  


	4. sonny's daughter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> drabble ; sonny has a teenage daughter ig?  
> not barisi but might be at some point who knows

“Dad, come  _ on _ !”

Emily Carisi is tugging impatiently on her dad’s sleeve, trying to get him to continue walking in the direction of the Courthouse. 

Were anyone to glance upon them, a quick look would tell them that the two are related. She is very much her father’s daughter, comprised of long limbs and dimpled smiles and dirty blonde hair (though hers is yet to be splattered with the silver tones her father sports). Her eyes, while not matching his blue in colour, are every bit as kind and one look in them will give away every emotion she is currently feeling. 

And because she is her father’s daughter, she understands his emotional situation at the moment. She stops tugging and looks up at him. “You know it’s gonna be okay, right? You’re gonna testify and do great and Uncle Tommy will be fine and then we can get a McDonalds after it and celebrate justice being served?” She phrases the last part like a question; she doesn’t really want a McDonalds but she knows her dad wants a sense of normalcy in this situation (a situation that she’s not allowed to know the details of, but she knows it’s  _ not good _ ) and she’s gonna give that to him. 

He smiles fondly and gives her a half hug. “McDonalds, yeah? That’s your ulterior motive here?” 

He’s joking, which is good - it means she’s been successful. Not that there was any doubt she would be; she’s a Carisi, after all. 

“Ulterior motive? What, a girl can’t be supportive of her dad just because she loves him?” she quips, before half heartedly pushing him towards the Courthouse steps. “Now go! You don’t wanna be late.”

He runs a hand through his hair and lets out a breathy laugh. “Okay, okay! Yes, we’ll get McDonalds later, yes, I’m going to court now. Love ya, kiddo.” He mock salutes her before turning and going up the stairs, two steps at a time.

“Love you too, Dad!” she shouts, in a way she hopes is embarrassing. She knows, though, that Sonny Carisi will never be embarrassed by such displays of affection.  _ Dumbass _ , she thinks. 


	5. 1930s glasgow???

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sonny just takes Rafael’s hands and smiles softly,  
> “What I’m trying to say, amore, is… run away with me?”  
> “What?” If Rafael’s voice is a higher pitch than usual, well who can blame him?.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is bizarre i wrote and posted this 2 months ago then deleted it because it's the uhhhh dumbest shit?
> 
> they live in 1930s glasgow and they like sneak around bc obvs homophobia also racism/xenophobia was a big thing People really didn't like the italian immigrants ? do u know what im not even gonna explain i was on some mad crack when i wrote this clearly but argh it's cute nonetheless
> 
> also i didnt use aggressive accent-typing because i'm scottish and it makes me cringe so hard but just picture them with little scottish accents x

Rafael unfolds the letter, reads it, and scrunches it back into his pocket for the fifth time in as many minutes. It’s purely fidgeting to work off nervous energy because it sure as Hell isn’t because he’s forgotten its contents. No, those words are seared into his brain. 

_If you really love me, meet me in our corner at half 9._ _I’ll be waiting._

It seems so ominous, so final, and Rafael can’t help but think the worst. That Sonny is tired of him, tired of the sneaking around, the lies. Is going to marry a good Italian girl like his mother wants. But he can’t blame him. Not when he himself gets shit from his family ( _Luis said he saw you with that eye-tie again Raf. Now what did I tell you about him and his kind? Stay away_ ) So he’s here waiting anxiously, in the dark corner next to the shop, secretly hoping the darkness will take him before his heart is inevitably shattered into pieces.

“You came.” Rafael jumps at the words, too engrossed in thought to notice the tall man approaching. He looks up at him, face half enclosed in darkness (they chose this spot for a reason, after all - it’s hidden, far away from prying eyes and streetlights).

“Of course I came, _mi amor,_ ” he practically whispers the last words, still painfully aware of how this meeting could go.

Sonny, who really is the most endearing person he has ever met, just blushes and rubs the back of his head. “I thought, well, wi all the grief your family’s gi'en you, you would have, erm, changed your mind? About me.” And God bless him, he ducks his head and looks at the ground after saying those words.

Rafael gently tilts his lover’s face until their eyes meet, but says nothing, sensing the other man still wanted to speak. The Italian takes a breath before continuing. Rafael braces himself. “So I, erm, I wanted to… make a proposal? Of sorts,” he’s subconsciously fidgeting with Rafael’s lapels, exposing his own nervous energy to the shorter man.

Rafael has no patience for Sonny’s babbling tonight. “Spit it out, Sonny,” he sighs, flinching at how snappy it comes out. Sonny just takes Rafael’s hands and smiles softly, 

“What I’m trying to say, _amore_ , is… run away with me?”

“What?” If Rafael’s voice is a higher pitch than usual, well who can blame him?.

“I’m serious!” Sonny says, so full of that hopeful energy that made Rafael fall in love with him. “I have it all planned out! We get the train to the country, find some wee farmhouse where we’re free to, y’know, just be ourselves!”

Rafael is just staring at Sonny with his mouth agape. _He’s finally lost it,_ he thinks. What he says is an extremely gentle “ _Corazón_ , what about your family? I know you love them. This would _kill_ you. I can’t ask you to give them up for me.” But Sonny just shakes his head.

“I’ve been thinking about this for a while Rafi. It’s what I want - _you’re_ what I want. And we all know there’s going to be a war soon and just… I want to treasure our time together. Because I’m pretty sure you’re the one for me, Rafi, society's opinions be damned.” He presses their foreheads together before letting out a final “Please”.

Rafael, for the first time in his twenty-five years, is speechless. He just wordlessly nods and softly kisses Sonny. “There are some major details omitted from your plan but I _suppose_ we could work things out,” he says carefully. The pure joy and love in Sonny’s expression will forever be etched in his memories.

“That’s a yes?” Sonny grins. 

“ _Sí, mi amor_ , that’s a yes.”


	6. #6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> drabble. barba gets home from work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> very short very pointless very soft

Rafael Barba sighed as he entered his apartment, the tension from the work day leaving his shoulders as the warmth and dim lights of  _home_   greeted him. He left his briefcase at the door with his shoes before heading towards the living room - it had been a long day and he had no intention of working for any more of it. 

Sniffing slightly, he entered the room and followed his nose to look at the open takeout containers balanced precariously on the coffee table, surrounded by textbooks and papers. Rafael’s eyes tracked down and he smiled softly as his gaze landed on Sonny, sitting on the floor, legs stretched out under the table and out the other side. His head had lolled back against the sofa and he was snoring softly. 

Rafael shook his head. Sonny was often prone to working past the point of exhaustion. Quietly, he draped his jacket over the back of the settee before padding round to grab the unopened container of chow mein. Softly, he pressed a kiss to his lover’s forehead then sat himself down. It seemed he was in for a quiet night in front of the TV. Not that he minded, Sonny needed the sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> my twitter is [@sonycreasy](https://twitter.com/sonycreasy) if u wanna see me proclaiming my love for sonny carisi on a daily basis
> 
> my tumblr is [jimmypclmer](http://jimmypclmer.tumblr.com/) if u wanna hmu with prompts or anything!


End file.
